“Liverpool is calling for you!” These were the words that resonated with the young Colombian defender Anderson Arroyo before his leap to Europe in February 2018. A mere 18 years old at the time, he had already made a name for himself with standout performances for the national under-20 team in the South American championship.
Young Anderson expressed gratitude to Fortaleza, the club that drew the attention of top-tier teams. He packed his bags brimming with aspirations, bid farewell to family and friends, and embarked on a journey to Liverpool.
The allure of the Premier League, the grandeur of the Champions League, the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp, and the camaraderie with teammates like Van Dijk and Salah… it seemed like a dream fulfilled, or so he thought.
The footballer inked a contract with the “Reds,” but Liverpool promptly loaned him to Mallorca until the season’s end, where he honed his skills with their B team.
His return to Anfield held hopes of fresh opportunities, yet in the summer of 2019, he found himself loaned out again, this time to Gent in Belgium.
The pattern continued each summer. During the 2019/20 season, he ventured to Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic, subsequently Spain’s Salamanca, and even spent time on loan at Mirandes.
While some might view this as a customary narrative of a European club acquiring a South American player who eventually proves dispensable, constrained by a contract others hesitate to embrace, a curious turn of events unfolded last year.
Indeed, in an unexpected twist, Liverpool opted to extend Anderson’s contract until 2025, temporarily dispatching him on loan to Alaves, where he featured in 22 matches.
Now, after a year has elapsed, the story persists unchanged. In reality, Anderson scarcely breathes the air in Liverpool’s locker room; he finds himself once again on loan, this time at FC Andorra, competing in Spain’s second tier.
For the player, who is set to celebrate his 24th birthday in September, this marks his seventh loan stint in just over 5 years since formalizing his association with Liverpool.
